Switching to Growth Equity
I’m currently a MM PE Associate at a T2 city shop making 200-250 all in going into my second year as an associate. I’m interviewing at a niche but interesting Late Stage VC / GE (typically series C/D+) shop for Sr. Associate in the neighborhood of 300-350. I think I could get to an equivalent comp range at my current shop in the time it would take to actually start (would stay for a bit to cash out bonus), so for me the decision to stay vs go would ultimately come down to the actual work and lifestyle.
With that in mind, I’d love to hear perspectives from people who made the switch. I think GE fits my personality a bit better: I’m extroverted and I’ve been disappointed by the amount of time in PE that is spent on process jockeying and ad hoc analysis rather than true critical thinking. While there would be some of that dynamic in this role, a lot more of it seems BD oriented / actually meeting with operators and learning about their businesses.
A realistic perspective on the pros and cons from someone more experienced would be very helpful. Thanks in advance!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights on the pros and cons of switching from Mid-Market Private Equity (MM PE) to Growth Equity (GE) or Late Stage Venture Capital (VC):
Pros of Growth Equity / Late Stage VC:
Less Trivial Minutiae:
Business Development (BD) Oriented:
Exposure to Smart Founders:
Broader Skill Set:
Cons of Growth Equity / Late Stage VC:
Ego Management:
Limited Influence:
Quantitative vs. Qualitative:
Ambiguity:
Additional Considerations:
Compensation:
Work-Life Balance:
Conclusion:
Switching to Growth Equity or Late Stage VC can offer a more dynamic and engaging work environment, especially if you enjoy business development and working closely with founders. However, be prepared for the challenges of managing egos and potentially having less influence on portfolio companies' growth. Consider your long-term career goals and whether the role aligns with your strengths and interests.
Hope this helps!
Sources: Q&A: Principal at Early-Stage VC Fund, Difference between late stage VC and growth equity, Q&A: Corp Dev > Strategic Finance > VC, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/venture-capital/early-stage-vc-101-5-questions-you-better-be-able-to-answer?customgpt=1, Growth Equity vs Mid/Large Cap PE
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I made the switch recently, but from MF PE to GE - but for the same reasons you outlined. I haven't been here long enough to answer all aspects of your question, but my observation throughout the recruiting process and start of the role here is that there is a much, much larger spectrum of how companies operate in the GE world compared to PE, and what your day will actually look like. PE is ultimately a financial engineering role, with sourcing and market work often facilitated by structured processes (via bankers and consultants, respectively) as you noted. Going all the way down to venture, it's more the sourcing, thesis development, developing industry expertise part of the spectrum, with minimal financial engineering / process jockeying as you call it. GE though can be anywhere in that spectrum, and especially late stage growth, you may likely end up doing more equal measures of both sides or lean more similar to PE. I would just really do you diligence on each firm, understand what their mix of time is between sourcing, market work, deal execution etc is and which parts of the work they outsource versus conduct in house.
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